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Faith Explored:

The Gospel of Matthew

A Bible is open to the Gospel of Matthew. The words "Jesus the Messiah" from the first verse can be seen.
Introduction to Matthew

Matthew shows the universal relevance of Jesus – to all people of all nations. Jesus cared about all people and offered a gospel for all people, while demonstrating His authority over all nations.

A bookshelf full of Bible reference books and Bibles.
Matthew - Bibliography

Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of the Gospel of Matthew.

A multi-generational family poses for a picture, sitting in pews in a church.
Matthew 1:1-17

Who is Jesus? – Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus.

A pregnant woman in a long dress walks through a dusty field.
Matthew 1:18-25

Mary’s pregnancy, from Joseph’s perspective: What is God doing?

Three wise men or Magi, one kneeling in worship, come before the baby Jesus on Mary's lap.
Matthew 2:1-12

Wise men come to see the newborn king – and still do today!

A person in traditional clothing with a flowing cape walks through a desert landscape.
Matthew 2:13-23

Herod seeks to kill Jesus, which is why Jesus ends up as a refugee in Egypt, and then in Nazareth.

A stream with rocks along its banks runs through a secluded landscape.
Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist: Repentance is not comfortable but is part of our calling.

A man grasps the hand of another man, both of whom are waist-deep in water.
Matthew 3:13-17

The baptism of Jesus, and how it relates to you.

Two rocks and a variety of smaller stones are spread across a cracked desert floor.
Matthew 4:1-11

The temptation of Jesus shows how to respond to our own temptations.

A map of the world is composed of small stones on a patch of grass.
Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus chooses a particular place – Galilee – to begin his ministry.

A large group of people reach out in hopes of touching a figure who reaches back and holds one of the outstretched hands.
Matthew 4:18-25

Jesus gathers disciples and followers.

A man sits on a couch with his hand on his forehead spread over his eyes.
Matthew 5:1-5

Blessed are the poor, the grieving, the meek.

Two young men in business-casual attire shake hands across a table as other young men and women look on approvingly.
Matthew 5:6-12

Blessed are those who are focused on what God cares about.

One light bulb is lit, surrounded by a group of light bulbs that are dark.
Matthew 5:13-16

You provide the salt and light of Jesus to the world.

A magnifying glass sits on an old, open book.
Matthew 5:17-20

Jesus fulfills the Old Testament: the Law and the Prophets.

A gavel in the hand of a judge is about to hit the table, signifying a verdict.
Matthew 5:21-26

Murder, anger, insulting others – how are they related, and what can we do about them?

A young man stands with his back to his wife and young daughter, arms crossed, while the mother and daughter look at each other.
Matthew 5:27-32

Adultery, lust, and divorce start in the heart.

A person places their left hand on a Bible the way a person does when they are taking an oath.
Matthew 5:33-37

Integrity means your words line up with your actions.

A fierce tornado moves across the land.
Matthew 5:38-42

Jesus takes retaliation in a new direction.

A man reaches out his hand to offer a handshake.
Matthew 5:43-48

Why does Jesus tell us to love our enemies?

A young woman peaks out from behind a door.
Matthew 6:1-18

Who needs to know about your almsgiving, prayer, and fasting?

A circle of people is gathered at a table with hands of all hues grasped in prayer.
Matthew 6:9-15

How to pray: The Lord’s Prayer shows the way.

A figurine of a man stands on top of a pile of gold coins, while a figurine of a woman with her arms crossed sits further down on the pile. They are facing away from each other.
Matthew 6:19-24

What is a healthy view of wealth?

A field of multi-colored flowers called anemones that are found in Israel today as they were in Bible times.
Matthew 6:25-34

Worry – how to deal with it.

A close-up view of an eye with a brown iris.
Matthew 7:1-6

You will be judged in the same way you judge others.

A small loaf of bread dough that looks like a rock.
Matthew 7:7-11

Pray with confidence that God will respond as your Father.

In a narrow passage between some buildings, one man is walking and another man is sitting on the side of the way.
Matthew 7:12-23

The Golden Rule is part of the fundamental choice Jesus is calling us to make.

A red house stands on a rocky outcropping.
Matthew 7:24-29

Is your faith built on rock? Is the Sermon on the Mount a central part of your faith?

Jesus is reaching out and touching a leper on the forehead, as the leper reaches out to Jesus.
Matthew 8:1-17

Jesus cares about our afflictions.

A Rembrandt painting shows Christ and the 12 apostles in a small sailing boat on a very stormy sea.
Matthew 8:18-34

To follow Jesus, we need to make some choices.

A relief sculpture from the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin shows Jesus reaching out to heal a man on a stretcher.
Matthew 9:1-17

Who are you willing to befriend?

A prayer shawl with tassels on a part of the Torah.
Matthew 9:18-34

Allow Jesus to heal you, open your eyes, loosen your tongue.

Two feet in sandals stand on sand.
Matthew 9:35-10:15

Compassion compels Jesus and us to proclaim the good news.

An intersection in a city has both parallel and diagonal crosswalks, with one car driving through.
Matthew 10:16-42

Make the choice to follow Christ and do not be afraid of the consequences.

A man is grasping vertical bars with his head down, while a bird is flying outside the bars.
Matthew 11:1-19

What is the evidence that Jesus is the Messiah?

Two oxen yoked together in a field.
Matthew 11:20-30

Will we accept the direction of the Lord or resist?

A heart-shaped container holds various kinds of fruit - strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
Matthew 12:1-37

What matters the most? What do your words reveal?

A pregnant woman with a big smile on her face is standing and giving a hug to her elementary-school-age daughter, who looks up at her appreciatively.
Matthew 12:38-50

Two reactions to Jesus: disingenuous skepticism and genuine commitment.

A painting shows a pastoral scene of a man in a straw hat and blue shirt, carrying a bag and strewing seed onto the broken-up ground.
Matthew 13:1-23

What kind of soil can I be, to allow the seed of God’s word to take root and be fruitful in my life?

A field of mustard plants, with yellow flowers and green leaves, under a gray-blue sky.
Matthew 13:24-53

God patiently waits for us to bear fruit and asks us to be patient with those around us.

A very old fresco in blues, reds, and browns shows Jesus handing out bread to people who pass it along to others.
Matthew 13:54-14:21

Living parables: Incidents in Jesus’s ministry that tell a bigger story, including the feeding of the 5,000.

A painting shows Jesus helping Peter up as they walk on choppy waters, with a boat full of disciples and a stormy sky behind them.
Matthew 14:22-36

Get out of the boat: Where are you called to take a step of faith and not be afraid?

An arrow comes out of a stylized image of a heart.
Matthew 15:1-20

It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; it’s what comes out from your heart that defiles you

A painting shows a woman on her knees, with outstretched arms, appealing to Jesus, who is pointing toward a child in the distance.
Matthew 15:21-28

The healing love of God is for Gentiles, too.

A painting shows a crowd of people sitting in tiers on a mountainside.
Matthew 15:29-39

Jesus’s compassion extends to all people; even foreigners. How can we be like Jesus?

A sculpture shows a figure of a man inside a whale.
Matthew 16:1-12

What is God trying to do in our world today, and are we missing the signs of what is needed and what he is doing?

A banner in a church shows two keys and the words “On this rock I will build my church.”
Matthew 16:13-20

Who is Jesus? Who is Peter? Where do you fit in the Church that God is building?

In a painting, a man in a white robe, walking on a path in a rocky area, waves off a man walking close behind him, as a group of men follow from further behind.
Matthew 16:21-28

Suffering is coming for Jesus, and he calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him.

A painting shows the transfigured Jesus, surrounded by Moses with the tablets of the Law, Elijah the prophet, and 3 fearful disciples crouching below.
Matthew 17:1-13

Do you struggle with the Christian teaching that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human? Three apostles had a visible experience of this truth.

In a painting with dark colors, a man hands a coin to another man who is writing, as a third man holds a fish and Jesus looks on.
Matthew 17:14-27

A healing, a second warning of suffering to come, an interruption to pay a tax – just a normal day in the life of Jesus . . . and us?

In a painting, Jesus holds two children who are standing in front of him as he sits.
Matthew 18:1-9

Welcome a child, be as humble as a child, and don’t lead any “little ones” astray: the starting point for our relationships in the church.

In a painting, a shepherd with a sheep on his shoulders walks toward two other shepherds who appear to be rejoicing, as a flock of sheep grazes nearby.
Matthew 18:10-20

Jesus doesn’t want to lose anyone – not those who have strayed, and not those who have wronged others.  He offers a path that seeks reconciliation and broad agreement before disciplinary action.

In a brightly colored watercolor and pencil painting, a man throttles another man while others look on with dismay, and a king can be seen in the distance.
Matthew 18:21-35

How many times must I forgive someone who does something wrong to me over and over again?  How is God a model for the answer?

A person touches a simple, solid-gold ring with the tip of their index finger, as though pondering it.
Matthew 19:1-12

Divorce: What does it mean for two to become one?

Three children with smiles on their faces have their arms either around each other or up in the air.
Matthew 19:13-15

When you welcome children as God does, you never know the impact you might have.

A well-dressed woman in fancy shades holds numerous bags of merchandise.
Matthew 19:16-22

The danger of riches: What kind of grip do they have on you?

A person sits at the foot of a cross, silhouetted against the sky.
Matthew 19:23-26

Who can be saved? Your wealth won’t save you, but what will?

A sign in a window reads: Jesus is worth everything you are afraid of losing.
Matthew 19:27-30

What will those who give up earthly goods for Jesus receive?

In a painting, a well-dressed man gestures to two men, who have just entered a garden carrying hoes, to join two other men at work with hoes.
Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus offers the same salvation to all – high or low, early or late – and asks us to adopt his attitude, which is that many who are last will be first. Can we embrace his approach?

A young man wearing an apron is chopping vegetables in a kitchen.
Matthew 20:17-28

When Jesus calls us to serve, he doesn’t just mean servant leadership; he means servant “helpership” that puts others’ needs first.

A painting in dark colors shows two blind men kneeling and reaching out to a man who is standing in front of them and reaching out to touch them.
Matthew 20:29-34

What does God want us to see? And once we see the real world as he sees it, how would he like us to respond?

A painting shows Jesus riding a donkey, with a second donkey walking alongside, as a crowd surrounds him and lays carpets ahead of him, with a city in the distance.
Matthew 21:1-11

Can you embrace a king who comes in peace?

A painting shows Jesus holding a small piece of rope and pointing to the exit as a crowd shies away from him toward the exit.
Matthew 21:12-17

Jesus wanted the Temple to be a house of prayer and a place of healing. Can our churches and our lives be that, too?

Green leaves of a fig tree.
Matthew 21:18-22

The cursing of the fig tree was a prophetic action, where Jesus stands against those who are "all leaf and no fruit." Is our metaphorical fig tree producing fruit or withering?

A stick figure of a person with their arms up, with 3 abstract question marks facing them.
Matthew 21:23-27

Responding to difficult questions and dealing with politics.

In an engraving, an older man directs two younger men with hoes toward a vineyard.
Matthew 21:28-32

Can we say “Yes” to God, and then actually do the work he asks us to do?

In an engraving, men with hoes encircle and grab another man who is defenseless.
Matthew 21:33-46

What are you called to do in the work of God’s vineyard?

A well-dressed king gestures toward a man on one knee before him wearing workman’s clothes, while well-dressed people mingle in the background.
Matthew 22:1-14

Are you wearing spiritual clothes fit for life in the kingdom of heaven?

Jesus, surrounded by a group of men, with one hand points to a coin that one of the men is holding, and with the other hand points to heaven.
Matthew 22:15-22

What do we owe to governments and leaders? What do we owe to God? How can we honor God and obey the laws of our leaders?

A woman and a man are standing, facing each other, holding hands, and leaning forward toward a kiss, silhouetted against the sun and a bright, partly-cloudy sky.
Matthew 22:23-33

If we try to make sense of God based on our human limitations, we will misunderstand the Scriptures and the power of God. How can the Scriptures guide us to a bigger picture?

A white neon light with red overtones against a black background reads: Love 24 hours.
Matthew 22:34-40

What does it look like when we love God with our whole heart, soul, and mind, and extend the same love to others?

In a tapestry, King David plays the harp while angels hold a scroll for him to play from.
Matthew 22:41-46

Jesus is greater than King David. He’s not your ordinary messiah, not your ordinary son of David. Who is Jesus in your life?

A golden chair with a red velvet seat and back and arms in the shape of carved lions.
Matthew 23:1-12

Are you serving others and helping to lift their burdens, or seeking attention and honor for yourself?

A pair of wooden doors with barred windows is locked with a chain and padlock.
Matthew 23:13-24

How can we recognize when we are focusing on little things that are of less importance and missing the more important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness?

A whitewashed brick mausoleum.
Matthew 23:25-36

Clean and beautiful on the outside, dirty and ungodly on the inside. How can we avoid falling into the trap of focusing on our exterior image?

A painting of a black and white hen surrounded by baby chicks, in the straw.
Matthew 23:37-39

Jesus loves his people like a mother hen who desires to gather her young under her wings. How can we embrace this maternal love of God for us?

A photo of the city of Jerusalem taken from the Mount of Olives, including the Temple Mount and the Eastern Wall of the Old City.
Matthew 24:1-14

Jesus calls his followers to persevere in the face of persecution and links it to the preaching of the Gospel to all nations. How are you sharing the good news of Jesus?

A pile of rubble consisting of broken pieces of building stones.
Matthew 24:15-31

Jesus’s followers will face suffering before he returns. What do we need to know, and what do we need to be doing?

A person points to the smart watch on their other wrist.
Matthew 24:32-44

Jesus tells us to be ready for his return. What are you doing to be ready for that day (whether it is the Second Coming or your death)?

A vibrant painting shows women in brightly colored dresses carrying lit lamps and greeting a man who has outstretched arms suggestive of Jesus, while other women in the distance lift their unlit lamps toward the window of a building.
Matthew 24:45-25:13

Are you acting like you are ready for the Lord? What would it look like in your life to be the faithful servant, the well-prepared attendant?

A man in a brown robe is knelling in the dirt, digging a whole in the ground, with a sack nearby.
Matthew 25:14-30

What are the “talents” God has given to you, and are you using them fruitfully?

A mosaic of colored tiles shows Jesus gesturing to sheep on his right while goats stand to his left.
Matthew 25:31-46

Each of us will be judged by our treatment of the hungry, the stranger, the sick, those in prison, etc. What are you doing to find Jesus in those places?

A woman pours oil on the head of Jesus at a table where more than a dozen people are gathered, wearing brightly colored robes.
Matthew 26:1-13

Two responses to Jesus: total opposition and extravagant devotion. How can you show how you feel about Jesus?

In a chalk painting, a man holds out a bag and the another man reaches out to put a coin in the bag.
Matthew 26:14-25

While the normal routines of life go on, Jesus knows that one of his disciples is in the process of betraying him. How do you keep going when bad things are happening?

A dark painting shows Jesus surrounded by 12 disciples, with one hand raised up in blessing while the other hand holds bread.
Matthew 26:26-35

How does Holy Communion help you to enter into the new covenant that Jesus offers us?

A painting shows the nighttime arrest of Jesus.
Matthew 26:36-56

Prayer in difficult times: Can you learn from Jesus’s example and keep in mind the bigger picture of your life?

In a painting, a man has his hand raised to strike Jesus, whose hands are tied behind his back, as a well-dressed seated man points at him.
Matthew 26:57-68

Jesus was found guilty because he told the truth. When should you speak the truth? And when should you speak out against injustices against others?

A painting shows a woman looking at a soldier and pointing at Peter, who points to himself as though defending himself.
Matthew 26:69-27:10

Peter and Judas illustrate 2 different ways to respond when you have committed a serious sin. How can you stay connected to a God who loves you even when you deny him?

A painting in brown and red tones shows Pilate washing his hands before Jesus, who is bound at the wrists, while soldiers and others look on.
Matthew 27:11-26

Pilate tried to pretend that Jesus’s death was not his decision. How can we be honest about the role we play in what goes on in our lives?

A painting shows Jesus with a crown of thorns being mocked.
Matthew 27:27-44

Jesus endured the torture and the mocking for us. How can we embrace his sacrificial attitude?

Jesus and two others are hanging on crosses, while a centurion, from below, points to Jesus. There is a quote coming from the centurion.
Matthew 27:45-56

Jesus was not abandoned by God, but it might have felt that way when he started praying Psalm 22. The psalm affirms him, and the centurion declared: “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Gustave Doré's "The Burial of Christ," one of his 241 wood engravings for La Grande Bible de Tours (Bible) issued in 1866, shows Joseph of Arimathea and the women carrying the body of Jesus to his tomb.
Matthew 27:57-66

Jesus is buried: Some people take action; others wait and watch.

A large round stone has been rolled aside to reveal the opening to a cave tomb.
Matthew 28:1-10

The empty tomb means that Jesus is alive – and still alive today!

A map of the world made out of pebbles is laid out on a patch of green grass.
Matthew 28:11-20

Everyone can participate: Sharing and living the good news.

Image at top by Tim Wildsmith, provided by Unsplash via Wix.

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